Why did I start this blog? What do I believe in? Who am I?

Why did I start this blog?

I was told that when you have a baby, your whole life will change — that you’ll forget who you are, and you won’t know what the future will look like. And that’s true. But for me, it didn’t happen the day my baby was born ❤️

It happened when we put him on an aeroplane (at 5 months old!) and we moved to Belgium.🌟

A baby waring a onesie that says ‘ready to explore anytime’ with a picture of an aeroplane on it.

Did you know Belgium has three regions? 🌍 We moved to the Flemish-speaking part (basically Dutch), which luckily my partner speaks… but I don’t. 😅 I knew people here spoke a high level of English, but I hadn’t considered that I’d need a high level of Flemish just to feel comfortable — even to order something at a café.

So my mum-brain started ticking. How would I support him when it came to healthcare — and eventually education? How would I support myself in going back to work and finding a job that made me happy? And the big one: How would I find my ‘village’?

I’m a teacher. I’ve cared for and taught children from 3 months to 16 years old. But the idea of putting my own baby into childcare so I could go and look after other people’s children — in a language I wasn’t comfortable speaking — just didn’t sit right. 😔 That also meant I couldn’t rely on work colleagues to help me build my village.

So, I turned to the next best thing we Brits are good at… small talk.

I practised my limited Dutch and started asking other mums with small babies if they spoke English. And lo and behold — my guardian angel appeared: a Polish lady who had moved to Belgium over 10 years ago. Little did I know, she would be the one to hold my hand through the first few months as I stumbled my way into building a new life here.

She helped me with the paperwork , all the little life hiccups, and — most importantly — she showed me where to find friends. Facebook! She introduced me to a local group of mums just like us, who had moved to the area, who had babies and children at all different ages, and who just needed someone to talk to… a village. 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦

I started attending the meetups… and before I knew it, I was helping organise them. ✨ Then I began creating little activities for the babies — and I absolutely loved it. ❤️

So that’s why I started this — to continue the work I have started and to make it bigger.

Yes, it is… something different. Something scary. 😨

But that’s because it means something, and therefore it is important to me. 💖So what do I believe in?

I believe in activities that support a child’s interests and independence — all while keeping things low-cost and as eco-friendly as possible.

Being a child’s caregiver comes with so many hurdles, and we're expected to juggle them all at once. That’s why I hope to offer a bit of help: some tips, some guidance, and a whole lot of positivity.

I’ll also be honest about the faults and mistakes I’ve made along the way, because I am by no means a “super mum.” I’ve simply paid a lot of money to become a teacher — and with that training, I’ve been able to make more informed decisions about how I’m raising my own child.

A baby lying on their stomach in a carboard box.

Yes that is my baby in a cardboard box. I had so many to use up after the move!

So finally who am I?

I decided to put this part at the end because — if you’ve made it this far — you’re probably thinking, “Hey, this sounds good, I want to keep reading!” And if not, well… you’re probably not reading this anyway.

So hi! My name is Miss Summers and I’m starting Summer Sensory and Co. to share helpful, accessible information with caregivers — the kind of knowledge you shouldn’t have to go to university (and into debt) to get. I want to help you feel confident in making the best choices for the children in your care.

I’m an English woman 🇬🇧 living in Belgium,🇧🇪trying to learn and understand different perspectives — and I’m lucky enough to be in a position where I can do that, and share what I learn along the way

So if you’ve enjoyed reading this and want to join me on this journey, follow along here on the blog or connect with me on social media. Together, we can explore a holistic, joyful approach to caregiving and sensory play.❤️